ROBBINSVILLE—Scott, Lachman win Group I titles

By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
    While most athletes in the state look to do a little better from year to year, Amber Scott had to be pretty content with repeating her Group I winter track performance from 2008.
    For the second year in a row, the Robbinsville High student placed first in the 55 hurdles and second in the 55 meters at the Group I Championships for winter track.
    “That’s consistency,” noted Robbinsville High Coach Mike Walker. “She defended her title and got that second place again.”
    While competing in the Group I championships in Toms River this past Saturday, Scott won the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.51. She placed second in the 55 dash with a time of 7.59.
    Robbinsville placed sixth overall as a team.
    “We could have done better, but we sat out Megan Flynn with foot problems,” Walker noted. “She warmed up, but just wasn’t ready to go.”
    Flynn had qualified to run in the 1600 and 3200. With the top six finishers in each event earning medals and advancing on to The Meet of Champions, this created an interesting scenario. Meghan Lesniak placed sixth in the 3200 in a time of 11:57.
    “If Flynn had been in there, that might have bumped her out,” Walker noted. “Who knows? If Flynn had been in there, it would have been an entirely different race.
    “I was confident she (Lesniak) could qualify. She’s good enough to finish even higher.”
    Lesniak and Scott both will run at The Meet of Champions on Saturday, which will also be held in Toms River. They will be joined by Nick Lachman.
    Lachman won the 3200 in a time of 9:30.
    “He definitely had the times and the skill to win it, but you still have to go out and prove it,” Walker said. “Whether it be in track or cross country, he’s won the sectionals a few times. He just didn’t win at the Group I state level. He needed to seal the deal. He did that.”
    Lesniak, Scott and Lachman will see what they can do on Saturday when all of the top athletes from all of the schools in the state face off against each other.
    “We have to see what the seedings are when they come out,” Walker said. “I think Amber Scott has a realistic chance to reach the finals in the hurdles.
    “Nick should also be in the fast heat, with probably the ninth or tenth best seeding.”
    And once you get in there with the big boys and the juices get flowing, things can happen.
    “The top six get medals at The Meet of Champions,” Walker said. “That’s the goal for the two (Amber Scott and Nick Lachman)— to medal at The Meet of Champions.”